2x 14.5 oz.cans fire roasted diced tomatoes($1.96)
1x 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes($1.96)
1cuproasted red peppers (about half a 12 oz. jar), diced*($1.06)
1x 16 oz.can butter beans, drained and rinsed($1.47)
5cupswater($0.00)
2frozen tilapia filets, defrosted and cut into 1-inch cubes**($2.44)
1Tbspfresh parsley($0.05)
1Tbspfresh cilantro($0.05)
1lime, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)($0.25)
Instructions
Gather ingredients and defrost frozen tilapia according to package directions. (I defrosted mine overnight in the refrigerator, but defrosting in cold water also works in a pinch!)
Dice onion, chop cabbage, and mince garlic. Add to a large pot with olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, bay leaf. Sauté until softened and glossy, about 5-8 minutes.
Add canned tomatoes, diced roasted red bell peppers, and butter beans.
Add water and stir to combine. Bring up to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are all soft and fully cooked.
While the soup is simmering, slice tilapia into 1/2 inch pieces and add to soup.
Simmer the soup with tilapia added for only 5 minutes. The pieces of fish will be perfectly white and firm, but not overcooked. Remove from heat, stirring in fresh herbs and lime juice. Adjust salt and pepper, if needed, and enjoy hot.
*I found the flavor of jarred roasted red bell peppers to be more pronounced than roasting fresh ones from scratch. It’s amazing how many peppers they fit in one jar! For flavor and ease of cleanup, I went with jarred roasted peppers instead of fresh ones this time.**There were 8 filets in one 2lb bag of tilapia from Walmart. I used 2 filets for this budget-friendly fish soup and saved the other filets for later. You can also use another mild white fish like cod or catfish.